Thursday, June 10, 2004
Memories....
Ronald Reagan just died of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). I never thought I'd ever say it, but I hope Nancy gets her way: on stem cell research, that is. For all the stupid pseudo-moralizing of the science-illiterate administration and its boosters, stem cell research is one of the most promising lines of research against this disease.
But thankfully, it's not the only one. Research published today indicates that certain cognitive areas are less affected by Alzheimer's than others...contrary to expectation, implicit learning was retained in AD participants, as well as associated higher-level cognitive abilities. Hopefully, this means a new direction in cognitive, and later, pharmaceutical, treatments may be effective. This work does not, however, take the place of stem cell research, in that it may provide treatments to slow the disease and make life better for its victims, it is not anywhere near as likely to lead to a cure or vaccine as stem and embryonic cell research is.
But thankfully, it's not the only one. Research published today indicates that certain cognitive areas are less affected by Alzheimer's than others...contrary to expectation, implicit learning was retained in AD participants, as well as associated higher-level cognitive abilities. Hopefully, this means a new direction in cognitive, and later, pharmaceutical, treatments may be effective. This work does not, however, take the place of stem cell research, in that it may provide treatments to slow the disease and make life better for its victims, it is not anywhere near as likely to lead to a cure or vaccine as stem and embryonic cell research is.
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